252 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Apr. 15 



lips is of the belief that " the shaking treatment 

 is the only treatment worthy of consideration " 

 in curing foul brood. See what he and friend 

 Taylor say on that topic on pages 72 and 74 of 

 the last report of the National Bee-keepers' Asso- 

 ciation. M. M. Baldridge. 

 St. Charles, 111., Jan. 25. 



A CONCRETE ALIGHTING-BOARD AND HIVE-FOUN- 

 DATION. 



For some time I have been using an alighting- 

 board made of concrete, the shape and size of 

 which are shown in the engraving. In order to 

 make these boards I use a 16-foot plank, 12 

 inches wide, and arrange on this the framework 

 for a form. This framework is 1 inch wide at 

 the back, yi inch wide in front, and the cross- 

 pieces taper down from 1 inch at the bark to ^ 

 inch in front. These cross-pieces should be 12 

 inches apart for an eight-frame hive, or 14 inches 

 apart for a ten-frame hive. The whole frame- 

 work should be made solid, so that it can be 

 raised up from the plank after the concrete has 

 set for a few hours. 



inches instead of 2 inches, as given in Glean- 

 ings. The wire-cloth basket should not be as 

 high as the tin cans, for the upper edge ot the 

 basket would be in the way when pouring in a 

 pail of honey. The proper dimensions are as 

 follows: Height of wire-cloth basket, lYz inches; 

 space under the basket, "/i inch The dimen- 

 sions for the tin can are all right as given in the 

 March l?t issue; that is, height of can 9 inches, 

 and diameter 16 inches. S. T. Pettit. 



Aylmer, Ont. , Can. 



After the framework is removed, and when 

 the concrete is of the right consistency, I smooth 

 off the surface of the edges with a trowel. I let 

 the blocks remain on the plank until the next 

 morning, and then sprinkle them and leave them 

 in the shade for a day or two. 



I use one part of cement and five or six parts 

 of sand. The blocks 2 inches square used under 

 the back of the hive are also made of the same 

 mixture. I find that this arrangement is very 

 cheap, and yet it keeps the weeds away from the 

 front of the hive and prevents all rotting of the 

 bottom-board due to the contact with the damp 

 soil. MiLo Smith. 



Des Moines, Iowa. 



MORE ABOUT HOUSE-APIARIES. 



Those who have time, money, and interest to 

 study bees should certainly have a small house- 

 apiary, in addition to the regular apiary, consist- 

 ing of hives on separate stands after the fashion 

 now so common in America. As a whole, 

 house-apiaiies are not suitable for extensive pro- 

 ducers. 



About sixteen years ago I erected a building 

 for holding 36 hives, placing three rows one 

 above the other. The room was warmed with a 

 stove which I could regulate almost to perfec- 

 tion; and, although it might 

 be freezing outdoors, the 

 inside temperature was like 

 that in a church. In the mid- 

 dle of the winter the plan was 

 satisfactory; but conditions 

 were not so good in early 

 spring. By means of the ar- 

 tificial heat I was able to get 

 a large number of young 

 bees very early; but more ot 

 them were lost from the hives 

 in the house-apiary than from 

 those out of doors where there 

 was no artificial heat. I have 

 had three houses made in dif- 

 ferent ways, but my colonies 

 on separate stands out of 

 doois always make more 

 honey than those in the 

 building. I believe that there 

 should never be three rows 

 of hives one above the other, 

 as two are enough. Further- 

 more, the hives should never be placed on 

 two or three sides of the building. They should 

 be on only one side — with us, the south. If 

 the building is large enough, one row of hives 

 is best. R. Strimpl. 



Networitz, Bohemia. 



A CHANGE IN THE DIMENS'ONS OF THE PETTIT 

 HONEY-STRAINER. 



On further reflection I see no use in having an 

 outlet on my strainer longer than 1^ inches, for 

 any length over this is only in the way. The 

 diameter, however of the outlet shQuld be 2>^ 



TAKING BEES FROM THE CELLAR IN COLD RATH- 

 ER THAN IN WARM WEATHER. 



It has been and is now the practice to take bees 

 from the cellar in nice warm weather, or to set 

 them out at night when the next day would prom- 

 ise a good fly. With me this is all changed. I 

 much prefer to choose a time when the thermom- 

 eter is below the freezing-point rather than above, 

 for they are so much more easily handled then 

 than in warm weather. The bottom-boards I 

 use for the cellar have a wiie screen one inch wide 

 and the length of the hive, and the bees are con- 

 fined both in setting in and taking out of the cel- 

 lar. I have practiced the above plan for two 

 years; and if I may be forgiven for taking them 



